High blood pressure: Five foods to eat in the New Year to help lower your reading

HIGH blood pressure is a common condition in the UK but can often go unnoticed. Left untreated, serious complications can occur, so doing what you can to prevent and control a high blood pressure reading is very important. One of the best ways to do this is to eat a healthy, balanced diet - eating more of certain foods and cutting down on others.

High blood pressure is not always easy to spot because symptoms don’t always develop. If they do show, a person with the condition may experience headaches, shortness of breath and chest pain. Simple lifestyle changes can help you reduce a high blood pressure reading. One of these changes should include adding five foods to your diet.

Beetroot juice

Research carried out by Queen Mary University of London, and funded by British Heart Foundation (BHF), involved 64 volunteers who drank a cup of beetroot juice a day for the duration of the study.

The participants, who were all high blood pressure patients, drank 150ml of the vegetable juice a day and were found to have blood pressure levels back in what is considered the normal range.

BHF explains: “The effect is caused by the high heels of a type of chemical called nitrates, which is found in high quantities in beetroot, and other leafy green vegetables like kale and cabbage.”

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, who led the research, said: “This research has proven that a daily inorganic nitrate dose can be as effective as medical intervention in reducing blood pressure and the best part is we can get it from beetroot and other leafy green vegetables.”

“For those looking to work dietary nitrate into their daily diets, the trick is not to boil the vegetables – as dietary nitrate is water soluble – but steaming, roasting or drinking in a juice all has a positive effect.”

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Pomegranate juice

This fruit has long been linked to regulating blood pressure. A Queen Margaret University study found participants who drank 500ml of pomegranate juice had a reduction in blood pressure.

Pomegranates act as an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, which helps blood vessels to relax and open up, lowering blood pressure.

Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus tea is a herbal tea made from the flowers of the hibiscus shrub. Studies carried out over the years have found it has a number of health benefits from helping high cholesterol to digestion.

The drink has also been found to lower blood pressure.

The blood pressure lowering action of hibiscus tea is mostly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on blood vessel walls to improve their elasticity and ability to dilate, explains Dr Sarah Brewer on her website Mylowerbloodpressure.com.

She adds: “Hibiscus tea also has a diuretic action which flushes excess fluid and sodium/salt from the body.”

In one study, drinking hibiscus tea for just 12 days reduced systolic pressure, cites medical researcher, biochemist and chiropractor Dr David Williams.

On his website Drdavidwilliams.com, he advises: “This remedy is one that must be used continuously to maintain its positive results.

“When participants in the same study stopped drinking the tea for just three days, their blood pressure began to creep upward.

“I’ve also found this to be true in my own experience.

“Look specifically for tea made from hibiscus sabdariffa. It is generally made from the flowers and fruit of the plant.”